Devices for automatically assembling sheets of paper



March 16, 1965 R. DEZOPPY 3,173,680

DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING SHEETS OF PAPER Filed March 19, 162 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 16, 1965 R. DEZOPPY 3,173,680

DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING SHEETS OF PAPER Filed March 19,1962 e Sheets-Sheet 2 March 16, 1965 R. DEZOPPY 3,173,630

DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING SHEETS OF PAPER Filed March 19,1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 lm m 0 I R. DEZOPPY March 16, 1965 DEVICES FORAUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING SHEETS OF PAPER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March19, 1962 March 16, 1965 R. DEZOPPY 3,173,680

DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING SHEETS OF PAPER Filed March 19,1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 mm mm [57 fig. 19. 142

March 16, 1965 R. DEZOPPY 3,173,680

DEVICES F OR AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING SHEETS OF PAPER Filed March 19,1962 6 Sheets -Sheet s flaw. 150 :1:

United States Patent 12 Claims. Eci. 276-58) This invention relates to adevice for automatically assembling sheets of paper.

In the general art of printing (the latter word being used in its widestsense), it is generally necessary to produce prints or booklets, that isto say groups of different sheets placed in a definite order, more oftenin their order of numbering. At the outlet of the printing machine,there are obtained parcels of each of the printed sheets needed tocompose the booklet, for example, a parcel of sheets No. l, a parcel ofsheets No. 2., and so on. The operation of assembling into bookletsconsists in taking each time one sheet from each of the parcels andputting these sheets together in the order desired, for example in theorder of numbering.

Carrying out this operation by hand is slow and expen sive. Itnecessitates the employment of a considerable number of staff, who areliable to make mistakes in the manipulation of the sheets. Moreover, thespace required for arranging the parcels of sheets before assemblybecomes very large When the number of sheets per booklet reaches acertain value.

Several methods and devices have already been proposed with the objectof mechanising and rendering automatic this operation of assembling thesheets into booklets, but the machines adapted to carry these methodsinto effect and utilise these devices have the disadvantage of beingvery expensive, especially when they are not used intensively.

In particular, the present applicant has devised a method enabling theabove-mentioned automatic assembly to be carried out. In this method,after arranging the sheets to be assembled in parcels (in the presenttext, the word parcel signifies a group of identical sheets as it leavesthe printing machine; to obtain a print or booklet, there are thereforeavailable as many parcels as there are diilerent pages in the booklet),a sheet is simultaneously taken from each of the parcels, which areplaced in the order in which the assembly is to be carried out. Thesesheets are then introduced into a driving device so that the sheet fromthe first parcel is partially covered by the sheet from the secondparcel, the sheet from the second parcel is partially covered by thesheet from the third parcel, and so on. There is thus formed a train ofsheets which is carried along by a suitable device until it reaches astop against which the sheets are successively brought to a standstill,covering one another completely, thus constituting a booklet containingone sheet from each parcel in the Same order as that of the parcels.

The present invention relates to a machine capable of advantageouslycarrying into eiiect the process described above.

The accompanying drawings will facilitate understanding of the detailsof the machine according to the invention and its functioning. They aregiven by way of non limiting example. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a longitudinal section through themachine.

FIGURES 2 and 3, show diagrammatically the constructional features ofthe magazine containing the parcels.

FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7, show diagrammatically some details of anelevating device.

FIGURES 8, 9, l0, ll, 12 and 13, show diagrammati- "ice cally thestructure of various parts of the assembling device.

FIGURES l4, 15, 16 and 17, show diagrammatically the structure of thereceiving device.

FIGURES l8 and 19 show diagrammatically circuits used in connection withthe machine.

FIGURE 20 is a diagrammatic showing of counter- Weighting of thereceiving device.

FIGURE 21 shows diagrammatically a circuitry for use with the machine.

In all the figures, the same references, numerals or letter representsthe same parts.

FIGURE 1 shows the principal parts constituting the machine, which are:the magazine given the reference a and comprising pigeon-holes in whichare housed respectively the parcels each consisting of sheets of thesame kind; the elevating device given the reference 17 and comprisingfingers carrying friction devices adapted to take one by one the sheetshoused in the various pigeon-holes, to raise them and engage them in theassembling device; the assembling device given a reference 0, whichreceives the various sheets, superposes them in the order of successionof the pigeon-holes and conveys them to the receiving device; thereceiving device a which receives and groups the successive booklets ofsheets superposed in the order provided by the assembling device.

These four parts are fixed to the frame of the machine.

The magazine (reference a in FIGURE 1) consists essentially of a groupof pigeon-holes slightly inclined to the vertical, arranged parallelwith one another, and in each of which the parcels sheets are placed, adifferent one in each pigeon-hole, in the order the said sheets are tofollow in the assembled booklet. The magazine therefore necessarilycomprises at least as many pigeon-holes as there are different sheets ineach booklet. The inclination of the pigeon-holes in relation to thevertical is made small enough for the adherence between the top sheetand the parcel beneath it to be low, so that the said sheet may beeasily separated from the parcel, but sufiicient to avoid collapsing ofthe parcel in the pigeon-hole such collapsing being particularly likelyin the case of very thin sheets. Generally an inclination of between 15and 45, but preferably of the order of 30, satisfies this doublecondition. According to the invention, the pigeon-holes are so conceivedthat their dimensions may be easily modified in order to be able toadapt them in each case to the particular format of the sheets to beassembled. To this end, the pigeon-holes are formed in height of twotelescopic parts, which makes it possible to raise or lower the level ofthe bottom of the pigeon holes, whilst horizontal, longitudinal bars maybe drawn closer to or away from the longitudinal axis of the magazine soas to adapt the effective width of the pigeon-holes to the width of thesheets to be accommodated therein.

If one refers to FIGURE 2, which is a diagrammatic view in elevation andpartially in section of the magazine, and to FIGURE 3, which is a planview thereof, one can see that the said magazine consists of twosuperposed parts. The upper part A which is fixed, is formed from twoside bars 2 fixed to the frame, not shown, of the machine, which sidebars are connected by inclined and equi'distant plates 3 whichconstitute the upper part of the inclined wall of the pigeon-holes. Thelower part B which may be raised or lowered at will is constituted bytwo side members 4 on which are fixed the lower parts of thepigeon-holes. These consist of inclined parts 5 parallel with andadjacent to the plates 3 and bottom 6 serving to support the bottom endof the parcels of sheets. The two lower side members carry rollers 7which are guided by rails 8 parallel with the plates 3 and fixed to theside bars 2. Only one of these rollers is shown. Cables fixed to thepivots of the rollers 7 pass over fixed pulleys 9 and thence onto arotating drum It) on which they are wound up. It is evident that byturning the drum 10 in the appropriate direction, the lower part of thepigeon-holes may be raised or lowered at will by imparting to them amovement of translation parallel with the guides 8 and thus also withthe plates 3, which makes it possible to modify the effective height hof the pigeonholes according to the dimensions of the sheets to beaccommodated therein.

According to the invention, the effective width of the pigeon-holes isadjusted by a very simple device. 'On each side of the pigeon-holes nearthe side bars 2 are arranged symmetrically at the top and bottom of thefixed part A longitudinal bars 11 and 11' carried by identical rods,such as 12-13, 12'13' which can pivot about pivots such as 14-15 and1415 carried by the side bars 2. One of the groups of pivots, forexample the pivots 14 and 14, may be set in rotation by any suitablemechanism which makes them turn through equal angles but in oppositedirection. By this means, the pair of bars 11 and the pair of bars 11'are, as desired, brought closer together or away from one anotherparallel with themselves, whilst remaining symmetrical with respect tothe longitudinal median plane of the group of pigeon-holes, so as toadapt the distance between the bars to the width of the sheets to beaccommodated in the pigeon-holes. By modifying, as has just beendescribed, the dimensions h and d, the effective length and width of thepigeon-holes can easily be adapted to the format of the sheets to beaccommodated therein.

It should be noted that in order to permit the inclined walls 5 to passbetween the bars 11-11 and 11-1' in all cases, the width e of the saidwalls must not be greater than the minimum value of the space d betweenthe said bars.

According to the invention, the elevating device which serves to feedthe assembling device with sheets previously deposited in the magazine,is characterised in that the taking of the sheets from each pigeon-holeand the engaging thereof in the assembling device is effectedautomatically by means of friction devices actuated mechanically. Tothis end, skids mounted on fingers engaged in the pigeon-holes (one perpigeon-hole) through openings formed in the bottoms of the pigeon-holesand animated with an alternating rising and descending movement, rest onthe sheets which they carry along by adherence, when they are carryingout their upward stroke, so as to introduce the said sheets into theassembling device, whilst in their return stroke, the said skids slidewith much less friction over the sheets, which at this moment arealready gripped by the gripping mechanisms pro vided in the assemblingdevice.

By this means, on each operating cycle of the elevating device, onesheet is taken from each of the parcels and engaged in the assemblingdevice, which then superposes in the desired order all the sheetsconstituting one booklet. One referring to the diagrammatic FIGURES 1,4, 5, 6 and 7, one will easily understand the structure and functioningof an elevating device according to the invention.

FIGURE 1, which shows the whole elevating device diagrammatically, showsthe fingers 21 articulated by pivots 22 to a bar 23, which fingers areengaged in the successive pigeon-holes where, owing to their weightassisted if desired by springs such as 24, they apply to the parcels ofsheets f, the skids 25 mounted at the upper end of the fingers.

The bar 23 is supported by two cranks 26 and 27 articulated to fixedpivots 28. One of the cranks (the crank 26 for example) carries on itsextension a roller 29 in contact with a cam 30 animated with acontinuous rotating movement about a pivot 31. By this means, the bar isalternately raised and lowered according to an appropriate law of motiondetermined by the form of the earn.

At each end of each finger 21 is mounted a shoe 32 which can turn freelyabout'the geometrical axis of the finger 21. On this shoe is articulatedby the pivot 33 a skid 25 which carries strips 34 or studs of amaterial, such as foam rubber, having a high coefficient of frictionwith respect to the paper. For manipulating sheets of glossy paper,these strips could be replaced by fine metal points. A tail member 35limits the pivoting of the skid 25 downwards. FIGURE 5 shows how theskid is applied to the sheet during the upward stroke of the finger(arrow m) and how it is disengaged by spontaneous pivoting about itsaxis, when the skid is displaced with respect to the sheet in theopposite direction of the movement of the latter (arrow d); this is asituation as soon as the sheet introduced into the assembling deviceis'carried along by the gripping mechanism to be described hereinafterat an upwardly speed greater than that of the skid.

According to the invention, this pivoting of the skid at the moment thesheet is gripped by the gripping mechanism, is utilised to reveal theaccidental non-engagement of a sheet in the assembling device. To thiseffect, when the skid entrains a sheet, the tail member 35 of metalbears on a contact stud 36 fixed to an insulating collar 37 carried bythe finger 21. This contact is contacted electrically by an insulatedwire 38 to one pole of an electric source, the other pole beingconnected to the earth of the machine, with which are electricallyconnected all the fingers 21, shoes 32, skids 25 and tail members 35.All the conductors 38 connected in parallel. A general switchincorporated in a common branch of the source circuit is closed, by acam not shown mounted on the shaft 31. The moment the fingers completetheir rising strike, that is, the moment the sheets are being gripped bythe gripping mechanisms, the skids pivot in the direction of arrow (1 inFIGURE 5 and break the contact between the tail members and the studs36. If, at this moment, all the skids do in fact carry out theirpivoting movement, which will happen if each skid is actuated by itssheet engaging in the assembling device, the electric circuit isinterrupted at all the studs 36 and the current does not pass into thecircuit in spite of the closing of the general switch. But if, byaccident, one of the fingers has not entrained its sheet or has notengaged it in the assembling device, the corresponding skid will notswing back at the end of its rising stroke, its tail member will remainin contact with its stud and the current will pass into the circuit atthe time of closing the general switch. This current can then actuate arelay, which will cause the stoppage of the machine, and the emission ofa sound or visual signal.

It is, however, indispensable to prevent the fingers corresponding toeach pigeon-hole not being used to intervene in this safety process. Tothis end the contact between the tail member and the contact stud of allskids out of use must be permanently eliminated. This can easily be doneby causing the corresponding shoes 32 to rotate a half turn, as shown inFIGURE 7.

In order to facilitate the rising of the sheets under the action of theskids, it may be desirable in certain cases to blow air into'the sheets.But in order to avoid the introduction of charges of static electricityinto the paper, it is important that the quantity of air should be assmall as possible and limited to the first sheets of the parcel.

This result can be achieved by articulating beneath each parcel a tubeof suitable diameter connected to a common supply by a flexible pipe.Each of the said tubes is connected to a finger which at a certainmoment in the cycle of the machine rests on the parcel, this determiningthe position of the tube with respect to the thickness of the parcel. Atthis moment a suitable quantity of air is blown between the first sheetsof the parcel.

During the rest of the cycle, the blowing is stopped and a control rodcommon to all the tubes removes them from their respective parcels, inorder to allow a fresh rising of sheets.

The assembling device, the function of which is to superpose in thedesired order the sheets taken from the pigeon-holes by the elevatingdevice and convey the trains of sheets thus formed towards the receivingdevice, is arranged above the magazine and fixed to the frame of themachine, in such a manner that it can easily be swung back to give freeaccess to the pigeon-holes. It comprises gripping mechanisms, the numberof which is equal to the number of pigeon-holes, placed res ectivelyabove each of the pigeon-holes and consisting of two superposed rollersbetween which pass one or more endless belts animated with a continuouslongitudinal translation motion. The rollers arranged transversely turnfreely about their axes. The spindles of the lower rollers are fixed andare carried by the lateral side bars of the assembling device. Thespindles of the upper rollers are each carried by two arm capable ofoscillating about fixed pivots carried by the longitudinal side bars.Owing to this arangement, the upper rollers weigh on the belts and pressthem on to the lower rollers and, during functioning on to the sheetsintroduced between the lower rollers and the belts. There is thuscreated an adherence between the belts and the sheets, so that thesheets engaged between the lower rollers and the belts are entrained inthe movement of the latter. Below the belts and between the rollers arearranged fixed traverses adapted on the one hand to guide the sheets,raised by the elevating device, so as to engage them between the beltsand the corresponding lower roller, and on the other hand to support thesheets between successive rollers. To this end, the traverses fixed tothe longitudinal side bars have the form of triangular prisms havingtheir horizontal generatrices perpendicular to the side bars. The upperfaces of the traverses are horizontal and situated a little belowhorizontal plane defined by the upper generatrices of the lower rollers.The two other faces of each traverse are inclined to the vertical byangles such that the gap left between two successive traverses takes theform of a wedge converging upwards and the bisecting plane of which,substantially parallel with the plane of the sheet-carrying plates,penetrates the mitre formed by the belts and the corresponding lowerroller whilst passing into the immediate vicinity of the said roller.The group of horizontal faces of the traverses constitutes a horizontaltable intersected, to the right (as looking at the drawings) of eachlower roller by a narrow slot parallel with the roller and through whichthe sheet raised by the finger of the elevating device passes in orderto come into contact, by its upper edge, with the moving belts, whichcurve it, bring it into the mitre and engage it between the belts andthe corresponding roller. At this moment the sheet is strongly grippedand entrained, by adherence to the belts, in the movement oflongitudinal progression of the latter.

In this movement the sheets are supported by the horizontal carryingtable constituted by the upper faces of the traverses.

The superposing of successive sheets is carried out automatically, eachsheet of train of sheets coming from the right taking up a position, asit approaches a new roller, between the belts entraining it and thesheet passing over the said roller.

The endless belts pass over two transverse rollers mounted at the endsof the horizontal carrying table, one of the rollers being set inrotation by mechanical means. The left-hand roller is situated in thevicinity of the receiving device. It is associated with a rollersituated below it adapted to press the sheets against the belts so as toensure their propulsion and discharge into the receiving device.

On abutting against stop plates arranged in the receiving device thesheets from each train slide on top of 6 one another until theycompletely cover one another and thus constitute a print or bookletready for stitching.

Another advantageous feature of the invention consists in associatingwith each gripping mechanism a safety device adapted to detect theaccidental incorporation in one booklet of two identical sheets.

Other features will become apparent from an examination of FIGURES 1, 8,9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, which show diagrammatically and by way ofnon-limiting example one embodiment of an assembling device according tothe invention.

FIGURE 8, is a vertical section along a longitudinal plane of themachine. FIGURES 9 to 11 show constructional and operational details. Inthese figures, references 54 and 5S designate the two rollers whichsupport and actuate the endless belts 47 adapted to propel the sheetstowards the receiving device d. These belts are made of a materialadhering well to paper, for example rubberized fabric. Reference 40designates the lower rollers of the gripping mechanisms, which turnfreely about fixed spindles 42 carried by the side members of theassembling device. The pressure rollers 48 turn freely about spindles 49carried by oscillating levers 51 themselves articulated to fixed pivots50.

The reference 41 designates the braced prisms, the horizontal face ofwhich forms a supporting table for the trains of sheets travellingtowards the receiving device. The convergent faces 43 and 44 formbetween two adjacent braces an empty space in the form of an upwardlyconverging wedge, which guides the sheet elevated by the elevatingdevice towards its engagement in the mitre 46 comprised between theroller 40' and the belts 47.

The reference 56 designates the pressure roller adapted to press thetrain of sheets against the belts in alignment with the left-hand roller55. The right-hand roller 54 18 set in rotation by a suitable drive, notshown, and communicates a continuous movement of translation to thebelts 47. The bearings supporting the spindle of the roller 55 aremounted on slides so as to make it possible to adjust the tension of thebelts. The roller 56 turns freely about the spindle carried by thelevers 57 articulated by a fixed pivot 58 and the ends of which areacted on by springs 59 connected to fixed pins 60.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, the roller 55carries in its centre a wheel 61. This wheel 61 is provided on itsperiphery with rigid blades which bear on the parcel of sheets passingbetween the parcel of belts and the pressure roller 56 so as to curvethe sheets and propel them towards the receiving device. The roller 56is then reduced to a shaft carrying two small rollers 62 which raise theparcel of sheets and bring into contact with the roller 55. This curvingof the sheets has as its object to impart a certain rigidity of formthereto, so as to facilitate their correct placing on the pile ofbooklets contained in the receiving device.

A particularly advantageous alternative when the booklets are relativelythick, consists in making the spindle of the roller 56 fixed but, on theother hand, makmg the spindle of the roller 55 movable in an upwarddirection, suitable springs tending to lower it continually so as topress it on to the train of sheets.

FIGURE 11 shows diagrammatically the beginning of the engagement of thesheets from each pigeon-hole in the corresponding gripping mechanism,whilst FIGURE 12 shows the superposition of the entrained sheets at thebeginning of the assembling stage.

The safety device associated with each of the gripping mechanisms isadapted to detect the simultaneous engagement of two sheets in the mitre46 and consists of a feeler, the details of which can be seen in FIGURES8 and 13. For the sake of simplicity of the drawings only one feeler hasbeen shown in FIGURE 8. It comprises a small roller d5 carried by alever keyed on a shaft 66 capable of oscillating in a fixed supportcarried by the side members of the assembling device, beyond one ofwhich the said shaft 66 is extended. On thisextension of the shaft 66 iskeyed another amplifying'lever 67, carrying at its end a stud 68 capableof coming into contact with a stud 69, the position of which isadjustable by means of a micrometric screw 70, operated by a graduateddrum 71 and provided with a stop brake 72. The said screw engages in anut 73 carried by a support 74 insulated electrically from the frame ofthe machine.

The shaft 66 and the support 74 are connected, respec tively, to thepoles of a source of electricity via a circuit, in which is inserted arelay, which controls a suitable warning device and a switch forstopping the machine.

When the studs 68 and 69 are not in contact, the current does not passinto the relay circuit and the machine can function normally. However,as soon as the stud 68 comes into contact with the stud 69, the relay isexcited, the warning device functions and the machine stops. It will beunderstood that if the position of the stud 69 is adjusted by acting onthe screw 70, so that cont-act between the studs 68 and 69 isestablished when two sheets come between the roller 40 and the feelerroller 65, but the two studs 68 and 69 remain separated when a singlesheet is engaged between the roller 40 and the feeler V terized in thatit is lowered as the prints or booklets accumulate therein, so that theheight of the stack is kept constantly between two levels chosenarbitrarily, so that I the depositing of each new booklet on the stackalready formed can be effected in good condition.

To this end, the receiving device, as shown diagrammatically in FIGURE17, comprises a compartment in which are deposited in succession thebooklets leaving the assembling device, which compartment, arranged infront of the outlet face of the assembling device is fixed to a support101 movable vertically, the displacements of which'are controlled by areversible motor 192, controlled by relays actuated by a feeler 103suspended on a support 104 fixed to the frame of the machine and restingon the upper part of the stack of booklets. The raising of this feelerbeyond a predetermined level causes the closing of a micro-switch, notshown, which sets off the action of the relay, which puts the motor inrotation in the direction of lowering of the support until the upperface of the pile is lowered to the level selected as normal. In thisposition, the feeler closes a micro-switch which actuates the relay forstopping the motor. If the top of the pile is lowered below the normallevel, the feeler actuates a third micro-switch, which sets off theaction of a relay which puts the motor in rotation in the direction ofrising of the support until the upper face of the pile has returned tothe normal level. At this moment the feeler actuates the switch whichcauses the motor to stop.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the feeler only functionsduring the idle periods separating the arrival in the receiving deviceof two successive booklets. Outside these periods, the feeler is raisedby anelectromagnet 1% controlled by a cam mounted on the shaft 31, sothat its rotation is synchronized with that of the cam 30, whichactuates the elevating device. The same cam which controls theelectro-magnet of the feeler, puts out of circuit, when the feeler israised and out of action, the micro-switches controlling the movement ofthe motor displacing the receiving device.

To facilitate the action of the motor, it is advisable to balance inweight the movable parts of the receiving device. As the weight of themovable unit increases as the booklets pile up in the receiving device,the balance lower ends of which rest on a fixed support, the weight percentimeter of length of the series of strings being equal to the weightof a pile of sheets of one centimeter thickness.

By this means the weight applied to the receiving device by the seriesof the strings of beads decreases as the receiving device descends,owing to the fact that an ever increasing fraction of the said stringscomes to rest on the support and thus ceases to act on the receivingdevice. To sum up, the series of strings acts on the receiving device inthe same manner that in aeronautics, the guide rope acts on the verticalequilibrium of the balloon.

Finally, the receiving device may advantageously be provided with astacking device adapted to complete the correct superposition of thesheets constituting each booklet and which staggers with respect to oneanother the booklets deposited successively in the compartment, with aview to facilitating their removal. FIGURES 14, 15 and 16 showdiagrammatically some features of a stacking device according to theinvention.

According to the invention, the stacking device comprises horizontalshelves 8t) and 81 arranged in the same plane situated slightly belowthe level of the trains of sheets leaving the assembling device. Theshelf is rectangular and has its large side arranged parallel with thedirection of arrival of the sheets in the compartment as indicated bythe arrows 82. Its large side 83 outside the compartment is raised atright angles so as to constitute a flange, the height of which isapproximately equal to that of the booklets to be manipulated. At itsend remote from the assembling device, the said shelf carries,perpendicularly to the direction of arrival of the sheets, an angle iron84, the raised face of which serves as a stop against which the sheetscoming from the assembling device come to bear. The position of thisangle iron on the shelf is adjustable at will according to the format ofthe booklets. The longitudinal outer edge of the said shelf turned up atright angles serves to hold the sheets of the booklet laterally. Thelateral wall 85 of the compartment, parallel with the direction ofarrival of the sheets and situated opposite the said turned up edge 83may be brought closer to or away from the shelf so as to form between itand the edge 83 a space slightly greater than the width of the sheets.The second shelf 81 of much smaller dimensions is constituted by anangle iron, the raised edge 86 of which is directed perpendicularly tothe direction of the sheets. The lateral wall 85 of the compartment, theangle iron 84 and the two edges 83 and 86 of the shelves thus constitutethe four sides of a flat tray having substantially the format of thebooklets. The shelves are carried by levers 87, 88 and 89 articulated toa carriage 90 sliding on a support 90' fixed to the frame and receiveunder the action of a cam 96 which actuates a rod 91 a reciprocatingmovementof small amplitude indicated by the arrow 92, which movement isadapted to complete the correct superposition of the sheets of thebooklets and apply the latter against the lateral wall 85 of thereceiving compartment.

When all the sheets constituting one booklet have been put in place, thecam controlling the shelves causes the sudden withdrawal of the latterfrom below the booklet as indicated by the arrows 93 and the booklet 94is deposited on the pile already formed. After the depositing of eachbooklet and whilst the shelves are withdrawn, the carriage carrying themis displaced longitudinally either to left or right, so that thefollowing booklet 95 will be staggered longitudinally with respect tothe booklet 94 which has been deposited.

awaeso The cam then returns the shelves to the working position.

The displacement of the carriage may be produced by a cam of suitableform rotating in synchronism with the cam 96 actuating the blades.According to an advantageous embodiment, the movement of displacement ofthe carriage alternately to left and right and then left and so on, isproduced by an oscillating anchor having three branches, one of whichactuates the carriage 90, whilst the two others are acted on alternatelyby a push rod 98 articulated to a pivot 99 carried by a slide 100actuated by a cam 161) acting on a lever 161 articulated on a pivot 162,which push rod causes the anchor to swing once in one direction and oncein the other. The anchor is locked in each of its end positions or in amiddle position by a pawl 163 which engages in one or other of threecorresponding notches in the branch connected to the carriage, whichpawl is set off by a spring 164 but is disengaged at the appropriatemoment by a finger 165 carried by the slide. FIGURE shows the slide 180in its lowermost position and the anchor swung towards the right, inwhich position the carriage 90 is at the end of its travel towards theright. FIGURE 16 shows the push rod 98 which, raised by the slide 100,engages the branch 97 of the anchor and causes swinging of the anchorand displacement of the carriage to the left. To render this movementpossible, the finger or feeler 165 has raised the pawl and unlocked theanchor.

When it is desired to avoid the alternating displacement of thecarriage, the anchor is locked by the pawl in its middle position, inwhich position the push rod, in its upward movement, does not come intocontact with either of the two branches of the anchor.

As can be seen from FIGURE 18, which is given by way of illustrationonly, the apparatus is connected with alternating electrical mains 120to which there are connected two circuits, The first circuit comprises aseries of contact relays 134 and the motor 135 for moving the table. Thesecond circuit is coupled to the main 120 through the transformer 136and the rectifier 137. The direct current from this rectifier passesthrough a relay 138, a relay contact 141) controlled by a cam 141mounted on the shaft 31 and a switch 139 operated by the sensing device103 (FIG. 17). The contact 134 opens when the direct current passesthrough the relay 138.

The circuit is connected with the circuit shown in FIG- URE 19 for thecontrol of the sensing device 103 (FIG. 17). As shown in this figure,the circuit is connected with mains 120 from which current passesthrough a transformer 142 and a rectifier 143. The D.C. circuitconnected with the rectifier 143 is closed by a relay 144 controllingthe sensing device 103 and a microswitch 145 controlled by a cam 146mounted on the shaft 31.

The circuit functions as follows:

The two cams 141 and 146 have their profiles 147 and 148 turned to closetheir microswitches alternately. When the sheets of a complete booklethave arrived and been piled on the base of the receiving device or on apreceding booklet, the cam 146 moved by the shaft 31 opens the contact145 (that is, at this moment the cam 146 is in the position opposite tothe position shown). The current ceases to pass through the relay 144which maintains the sensing device 193 in a raised position due to thearmature 149 (FIGURE 17) moving into the relay 11-1. (The armature 149and the relay 144 constitute the electromagnet means 165 (FIGURE 17).)The arm 103 is lowered and stops in the position in which it is restingon the stacked booklets.

During this time the microswitch 139 (controlled by the sensing device103) remains closed, and the cam 141 maintains the contact 140 in aclosed position and the current passes to the relay 138 which, in itsturn, maintains the contact 134 closed thus putting in circuit the drivemotor for causing downward movement of the table.

If the upper level of the booklets attains a value which has previouslybeen set as a minimum, the microswitch 139 is opened by the samemovement of the sensing device, and the current to the relay 139 isinterrupted. Consequently, the contact 134 opens and the motor 135stops. During the remainder of the cycle, owing to the rotation of theshaft 31, the cam 141 opens the contact 146 which stops the motor 135,the cam 146 closes the contact 145, thus causing the coil 144 to beenergized and the sensing device 103 to be raised which, as it movesupwards, closes the switch 139. Then the cycle begins again.

The electrical circuit of FIGURE 21, given by way of example only,comprises two circuits connecting two alternating current mains 126. Thefirst circuit comprises in series a general switch 121, relay contacts122 and motor 123 for driving the machine.

The second circuit is coupled to the mains 120 through a transformer 124and a rectifier 125. The circuit comprises successively, starting withthe positive terminal 127, a relay 128, a general switch 129, all thecontacts 35 and 36 (arranged in parallel) of the fingers 21, and anegative terminal 131. A secondary circuit comprises the push button 131which is normally closed, a relay contact 132 arranged in parallel withthe general switch 129 and the contacts 36. The contact 122 is open whenthe current passes through the relay 128 while at this moment thecontact 132 is closed.

The device functions as follows:

After having closed the general switch 121, the motor 123 begins toturns since the contact 122 is closed. At this moment all the boxescontain sheets, the fingers 21 are put in their lower position and thecontacts 35-36 are closed.

The rotation of the motor 123 rotates the shaft 31 on which there areset the cams 30 (see FIG. 1) and the cam 133. The cam 30 raises thefingers 21. At the moment when the first sheets are taken up by thegripping mechanism at the end of the upward movement, the rotation ofthe slides 25 (FIG. 5) opens all the contacts 36 while the cam 133closes the contact 129. If there happen to be no more sheets, thecorresponding slide is not returned at the end of its upward movementand a contact 35-36 remains closed and the current passes through therelay 128. The contact 122 opens, stopping the motor 123. while thecontact 132 closes and ensures that the relay 128 continues to besupplied with current. The operator can thus feed the box which islacking a sheet. After this he operates by hand the push button 131which stops the passage of direct current to the relay 128. The contact132 opens and the contact 122 closes and the motor 123 begins to turnagain.

The device described above also serves for detecting instantaneously theentrainment by any slide of two sheets instead of one.

If reference is made to FIGURES 8 and 13, it can be seen that, comingfrom any one of the boxes the sheet or sheets entrained by a slide 25pass between a lower roller 40 and an auxiliary roller resting on thesheets. This latter roller is carried by a lever turning about the fixedshaft 66. The thickness of the paper passing between the roller 40 andthe roller 65 sets the distance between the two parts. This distance isamplified by a lever 67 (FIGURE 13) fixed in turn to the shaft 66, andthe lever carries an electrical contact 68 at one end.

When, due to the rotation of the lever 67, the contact 68 comes to reston a second contact 69, an alarm cir cuit is closed and the operator iswarned and the machine stops. It suffices to regulate the distance 68 to69 by means of a micrometer screw so that the circuit 68-69 remains openas long as not more than one sheet passes between the rollers 40 and 65.

In practice there are as many pairs of contacts 68 and 69 as there areboxes, and each of the pairs of contacts are connected in parallel withthe contacts 35 and 36 described above. The principle of operationremains the same. Any closing of any one of the contacts 68 and 1 1 69causes the passage of current through the relay 128, closes 132, opens122 and stops the motor 123.

The circuit used in the device of FIGURE 20 is similar to that of FIGURE17. The sheet receiver d is fixed to a support 101 which can slidevertically in a slide 150. The assembly made up of the receiving deviceand the support is supported by a cord or cable 151 wound on a pulley152 mounted on a shaft 153 fixed on the frame of the machine. The otherend of the cable 151 is provided with a chain of weights 154 which canlie on a fixed surface 155. a

As the receiving device at is charged with sheets, the motor 102 (FIGURE17) rotates to allow the device d to slide in the slide 150. During thismovement down ward, the cord 151 lifts upwards a certain number ofweights 154 in such a fashion that at any given moment there is anequilibrium between the support 101, the receiving device and thesheets, on the one hand, and the weights 154 which have been raisedclear of the plate by the cord 151, on the other hand. 7

Owing to this arrangement the power required from the motor 102 isreduced to a minimum.

It is clear that numerous modifications may be made in the details ofthe construction of the machine, whilst maintaining the generalprinciples of construction and operation which characterize the presentinvention.

I claim: 7

1. In a machine for the automatic assembly of sheets of paper, saidmachine including a frame, the combination of: a magazine comprisingadjacent pigeon holes equal in number to the number of sheets to beassembled in one booklet, each pigeon hole being adapted to receive aparcel of sheets of a single page of the booklet in the order they areto follow in the booklet, said pigeon holes being inclined with respectto the vertical by an angle com prised between and 45", said pigeonholes being divided in height into two telescopic parts, the upper partsof which are fixed to the frame while the lower parts, connected by sidebars, can be raised or lowered as a unit with respect to said upperparts to adapt the effective height of the pigeon holes to the size ofthe sheets to be assembled, said magazine also comprising movablehorizontal bars arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinalmean vertical plane of the magazine, which bars constitute the lateralwalls of the pigeon holes, which horizontal bars are symmetricallymovable towards or away from said mean vertical plane so as to adapt theeffective width of the pigeon holes to the size of the sheets to beassembled; an elevating device adapted to move sheets one by one fromeach pigeon hole in order to present them simultaneously to theassembling device, said elevating device comprising as many fingers asthere are pigeon holes, one end of each finger resting on the uppersheet in each pigeon hole, each finger being attached by its other endto a horizontal longitudinal member, lever means to move said horizontallongitudinal member periodically upwards and downwards, means beingattached to said member and rotating about an axis fixed in relation tothe frame and perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical and symmetricalplane of the machine, a rotating cam for actuating one of said levers,the profile of said cam causing upward and downward movement of saidlongitudinal member so the motion is transferred to said fingers, theaxis of the cam being fixed with respect to the frame, the fingers beingprovided with tilting skids which are adapted to move the upper sheetupwards during the upward movement of the fingers, an assembling devicewhich superimposes the sheets in the desired order and conveys them tothe receiving device, said assembling device comprising a grippingmechanism arranged above each pigeon hole of the magazine which gripsthe sheet raised by the elevating device and propels it towards areceiving device, said assembling device being formed substantially oftwo rollers turning freely about transverse spindles and between whichthe under strand of endless belts pass, said belts being driven toproduce a continuous longitudinal movement, the spindle of the lowerroller being fixed adjacent the upper end of a corresponding pigeon holewhile the spindle of the corresponding upper roller is carried by twolevers articulated to a fixed pivot, so that the upper roller canoscillate downwards so as to weigh on belts and apply them firmly to thelower roller or on to the sheets engaged between the lower roller andthe belt; and a receiving device in which the succession of bookletsthus constituted are stacked, said receiving device consisting of avertically movable compartment comprising a bottom plate to receive thebooklets to be stacked, an end wall plate against which the booklets arestacked as they leave the assembling device, and vertical slippingguides securing the bottom of said compartment to the outlet face of theframe so said compartment is lowered as booklets are added to thecompartment, so as to maintain the top of the pile of booklets betweentwo preselected levels.

2. The machine of claim 1, in which said elevating deviceincludes acommon bar extending parallel to the assembling device and includingmeans to reciprocate said common bar in a direction toward and away fromthe pigeon holes, each said finger being pivotally connected to saidcommon barand extending upwardly into a corresponding pigeon hole, saidfingers being inclined to the vertical so that their ends may be biasedagainst sheets of paper in the pigeon hole.

3. The machine of claim 2, in which each said finger is provided at itsupper part with a horizontal pivot on which said tiltable skid ismounted, said skid carrying strips of a material having a high adherenceto the paper and provided with a tail member, the end of which rests onthe body of the finger so as to limit the tilting of the skid to thedesired value.

4. The machine of claim 1, including means to automatically lower saidreceiving device, said means including a reversible motor, an electriccircuit including relays to operate said motor, and a feeler positionedto contact booklets in the receiving device, said'feeler being adaptedto operate switches to control said relays.

5. A machine as claimedin claim 4, in which said feeler consists of anoscillating arm resting at one end on the pile of booklets and at itsother end on a fixed pivot.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 4, in which electromagnet means areprovided to raise said feeler during the 7 periods of introduction ofone train of sheets into the receiving device coming from the assemblingdevice.

7. The machine of claim 4, in which counterbalance means are provided tocompensate for the increasing weight of said receiving device and itsburden as booklets are delivered to it, said counterbalance meanscomprising a plurality of masses carried by said receiving devicemounted above a support, said masses being positioned to successivelycontact said support as said receiving device moves downwardly under anincreasing load of booklets.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 1, including a safety device consistingof a metal stud, an insulating collar to carry said stud fitted overeach said finger, an electric circuit comprising a source of current, abranch connected to one pole of the source, a general switch controlledby the cam which actuates the member moving said means to move thefingers, and a relay which controls the machine and gives a warningsignal when it is excited, and branches connecting the fingers inparallel, each of these branches being constituted by a conductorconnected to the general branch and to said metal stud, said studs beingin contactwith the free end of the tail member of the corresponding skidwhen the latter is tilted downwards as the skid propels its sheetupwards, in which situation the electric circuit is closed by the tailmember, the skid, the body of the finger and the metal mass of themachine, the said mass being connected to the second pole of the source,

23 the profile of the cam closing the general switch only during the endof the upward stroke of the fingers when the skids are tilted bygripping of the sheets by the assembling device.

9. The machine of claim 1, in which two rotating rollers placed one atthe outlet of the assembling device and the other at its opposite endare provided to tension said belts, one of the rollers being set inrotation mechanically while the other is loose on its spindle and may bedisplaced parallel with the belts in order to adjust their tension, andthe roller situated at the outlet of the assembling device carries awheel provided with blades having a diameter greater than that of theparts on which the belts are wound, said blades being rigid and adaptedto press on the sheets, thus curving them and propelling them towardsthe receiving device.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 1, including a safety deviceconsisting of a lever constituting a feeler, a small roller at the endof said lever which rests on the lower roller of the gripping mechanism,a shaft carried by a fixed support to which shaft said lever is keyed,an amplifying arm keyed to said shaft provided at its end with a stud, afixed stud carried by a micrometiic screw mounted opposite to said arm,said micrometric stud making it possible to adjust the position of saidstud so as to regulate with precision the space separating the twostuds, said studs being connected respectively to the terminals of anelectric source, the electric circuit thus constituted being normallyopen but adapted to be closed by the swinging of the feeler when two ormore sheets are engaged at the same time between the roller and thesmall roller of the feeler.

ll. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which each booklet is placed ona staggered device before being direct ly stacked on the bottom plate oron the booklets already on the bottom plate, which comprises a highlypolished horizontal plate and four vertical walls, the

height of said walls being substantially greater than the thickness of abooklet, the four walls being arranged to form a rectangular box thehorizontal dimensions of which are greater than those of a booklet, alever fixed at one end to one of the Walls and pivoting around avertical axis fixed to the frame, the other end acting with analternating movement imparted thereto whereby said walls arereciprocated horizontally, a cam rotating synchronously with theassembling device to actuate said lever, two horizontal levers pivotallyconnected with the plate adapted to be rapidly rotated about a verticalaxis by said cam to subject said horizontal plate to a rapid horizontalmovement away from the booklet and this movement, due to the polish ofthe plate and the rapidity of its movement and to the inertia of thebooklet, allows the booklet to remain in place and fall on the otherbooklets.

12. The machine of claim 1, in which a safety device is provided foreach said gripping mechanism, said safety evice comprising a feelerelement bearing against the successive sheets as they are fed from thepigeon hole to the corresponding gripping mechanism, said feeler devicebeing cooperatively connected to means to energize an electric circuitfor operation of a warning device or the like, whereby upon the feelerelement being displaced by more than one sheet at a time the warningdevice is operated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EUGENE R.CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT A. LEIGHEY, ROBERT E. PULFREY, WIL- LIAM B. PENN, Examiners.

1. IN A MACHINE FOR THE AUTOMATIC ASSEMBLY OF SHEETS OF PAPER, SAIDMACHINE INCLUIDING A FRAME, THE COMBINATION OF: A MAGAZINE COMPRISINGADJACENT PIGEON HOLES EQUAL IN NUMBER TO THE NUMBER OF SHEETS TO BEASSEMBLED IN ONE BOOKLET, EACH PIGEON HOLE BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE APARCEL OF SHEETS OF A SINGLE PAGE OF THE BOOKLET IN THE ORDER THEY ARETO FOLLOW IN THE BOOKLET, SAID PIGEON HOLES BEING INCLINED WITH RESPECTTO THE VERTICAL BY AN ANGLE COMPRISED BETWEEN 15* AND 45*, SAID PIGEONHOLES BEING DIVIDED IN HEIGHT INTO TWO TELESCOPIC PARTS, THE UPPER PARTSOF WHICH ARE FIXED TO THE FRAME WHILE THE LOWER PARTS, CONNECTED BY SIDEBARS, CAN BE RAISED OR LOWERED AS A UNIT WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPPERPARTS TO ADAPT THE EFFECTIVE HEIGHT OF THE PIGEON HOLES TO THE SIZE OFTHE SHEETS TO BE ASSEMBLED, SAID MAGAZINE ALSO COMPRISING MOVABLEHORIZONTAL BARS ARRANGED SYMMETRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE LONGITUDINALMEAN VERTICAL PLANE OF THE MAGAZINE, WHICH BARS CONSTITUTE THE LATERALWALLS OF THE PIGEON HOLES, WHICH HORIZONTAL BARS ARE SYMMETRICALLYMOVABLE TOWARDS OR AWAY FROM SAID MEAN VERTICAL PLANE SO AS TO ADAPT THEEFFECTIVE WIDTH OF THE PIGEON HOLES TO THE SIZE OF THE SHEETS TO BEASSEMBLED; AN ELEVATING DEVICE ADAPTED TO MOVE SHEETS ONE BY ONE FROMEACH PIGEON HOLE IN ORDER TO PRESENT THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THEASSEMBLING DEVICE, SAID ELEVATING DEVICE COMPRISING AS MANY FINGERS ASTHERE ARE PIGEON HOLES, ONE END OF EACH FINGER RESTING ON THE UPPERSHEET IN EACH PIGEON HOLE, EACH FINGER BEING ATTACHED BY ITS OTHER ENDTO A HORIZONTAL LONGITUDINAL MEMBER, LEVER MEANS TO MOVE SAID HORIZONTALLONGITUDINAL MEMBER PERIODICALLY UPWARDS AND DOWNWARDS, MEANS BEINGATTACHED TO SAID MEMBER AND ROTATING ABOUT AN AXIS FIXED IN RELATION TOTHE FRAME AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL VERTICAL AND SYMMETRICALPLANE OF THE MACHINE, A ROTATING CAM FOR ACTUATING ONE OF SAID LEVERS,THE PROFILE OF SAID CAM CAUSING UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAIDLONGITUDINAL MEMBER SO THE MOTION IS TRANSFERRED TO SAID FINGERS, THEAXIS OF THE CAM BEING FIXED WITH RESPECT TO THE FRAME, THE FINGERS BEINGPROVIDED WITH TILTING SKIDS WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO MOVE THE UPPER SHEETUPWARDS DURING THE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FINGERS, AN ASSEMBLING DEVICEWHICH SUPERIMPOSES THE SHEETS IN THE DESIRED ORDER AND CONVEYS THEM TOTHE RECEIVING DEVICE, SAID ASSEMBLING DEVICE COMPRISING A GRIPPINGMECHANISM ARRANGED ABOVE EACH PIGEON HOLE OF THE MAGAZINE WHICH GRIPSTHE SHEET RAISED BY THE ELEVATING DEVICE AND PROPELS IT TOWARDS ARECEIVING DEVICE, SAID ASSEMBLING DEVICE BEING FORMED SUBSTANTIALLY OFTWO ROLLERS TURNING FREELY ABOUT TRANSVERSE SPINDLES AND BETWEEN WHICHTHE UNDER STRAND OF ENDLESS BELTS PASS, SAID BELTS BEING DRIVEN TOPRODUCE A CONTINUOUS LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT, THE SPINDLE OF THE LOWERROLLER BEING FIXED ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF A CORRESPONDING PIGEON HOLEWHILE THE SPINDLE OF THE CORRESPONDING UPPER ROLLER IS CARRIED BY TWOLEVERS ARTICULATED TO A FIXED PIVOT, SO THAT THE UPPER ROLLER CANOSCILLATE DOWNWARDS SO AS TO WEIGH ON BELTS AND APPLY THEM FIRMLY TO THELOWER ROLLER OR ON TO SHEETS ENGAGED BETWEEN THE LOWER ROLLER AND THEBELT; AND A RECEIVING DEVICE IN WHICH THE SUCCESSION OF BOOKLETS THUSCONSTITUTED ARE STACKED, SAID RECEIVING DEVICE CONSISTING OF AVERTICALLY MOVABLE COMPARTMENT COMPRISING A BOTTOM PLATE TO RECEIVE THEBOOKLETS TO BE STACKED, AN END WALL PLATE AGAINST WHICH THE BOOKLETS ARESTACKED AS THEY LEAVE THE ASSEMBLING DEVICE, AND VERTICAL SLIPPINGGUIDES SECURING THE BOTTOM OF SAID COMPARTMENT TO THE OUTLET FACE OF THEFRAME SO SAID COMPARTMENT IS LOWERED AS BOOKLETS ARE ADDED TO THECOMPARMENT, SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE TOP OF THE PILE OF BOOKLETS BETWEENTWO PRESELECTED LEVELS.